Purpose of review: The purpose of this review is to describe the history, current practice, and outcomes of the transplantation of organs donated after cardiac death (DCD) in children.
Recent findings: The rate of death on the waiting list is greater for children under 5 years of age than for any other age group. The organ shortage experienced by the general population awaiting transplantation is made more complex due to the need for size-appropriate organs for transplantation into small children. Pediatric DCD organ recovery has been proposed as a means of ameliorating this shortage.
Summary: The use of DCD organs has experienced resurgence in the past 15 years, and a growing body of literature supports their use in selected cases. Recent experience in pediatric transplantation using DCD heart, lung, liver, and kidney is reviewed.